MH-CLOUD SEEDING

PTI
April 04, 2020 23:57 IST

No info yet on result of cloud-seeding in Marathwada: Official Aurangabad, Oct 17 (PTI) Although cloud seedingproject has been in operation in the Marathwada region ofMaharashtra for nearly two months, the administration is yetto have any data on the rainfall occurred due to it, a seniorofficial said on Thursday. The official also said that despite the withdrawal ofthe southwest monsoon from the country, the state governmenthas not yet issued directions to stop the cloud seedingproject. "In order to tackle the problem of rainfall shortage,cloud seeding project was undertaken in Marathwada by thestate government. A radar was installed in Aurangabad to fixthe operational area for cloud seeding in the region,"Divisional Deputy Commissioner Parag Soman told PTI. Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification inwhich chemicals like silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice(solid carbon dioxide) or liquid propane are dispersed in theair to act as cloud condensation to alter its microphysicalprocesses. "This project has been going on for the last 50 days.Cloud seeding has been done over Aurangabad, Beed, Latur,Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli and Buldhana districts," he said. "But we don't have any data yet on where and how muchof rainfall occurred due to cloud seeding in the operationalarea. The data of rainfall is sent by the operating teamdirectly to the state government...We can't tell how muchrainfall occurred in a specific area due to cloud seeding," headded. "Besides, our office has not yet received anyguidelines so far to stop this project, though the monsoon haswithdrawn. This project may continue till we see clouds in thesky," Soman said. The official added that his office also does not haveany details regarding the cost of the project. Meanwhile, as per the data released by the revenuedepartment, Marathwada region received 588.18 mm rainfall inthis monsoon season, which is 75 per cent of its averagerainfall. Beed, Latur and Osmanabad are the worst-affecteddistricts. PTI AWNP NP

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